PASCO, Wash. – The Franklin County Board of Commissioners released a Washington State Auditor’s report claiming financial mismanagement at the Franklin County Jail.
The audit showed that since 2018, the food service management company contracted to provide commissary services had stopped sending required quarterly statements and commissions. The company was supposed to pay the county 35 percent of net sales, totaling $937,000 in missed commissary commissions.
Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond responded with a statement on April 17. He explained that Corrections Commander Keilen Harmon noticed the unpaid commissions and recovered the funds. Raymond said all actions were reported to the commissioners, auditors, and treasurer’s office. The sheriff’s office staff plans to meet with the new county administrator on April 22 with all necessary financial documents.
The audit also pointed to mismanagement of medical service accounts. The county paid approximately $1.2 million more than agreed upon for jail medical services from 2020 to 2024. Raymond explained that medical emergencies often occur in the jail, requiring inmates to be taken to outside providers when appropriate medical staff are unavailable.
Raymond said all documents and billing statements have been sent to the auditors’ office.
Since the auditor’s office could not determine where the funds went, the sheriff’s office will conduct its own criminal investigation. Raymond mentioned that all findings will be forwarded to the Franklin County Prosecutor.
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners’ statement and Sheriff Raymond’s statement can be found here.
